News
– The project will develop a monitoring tool to support preventive decision-making on the Costa del Sol, in Huelva, and in the Huesna area in Seville
– Advanced sensors based on AI techniques have been installed in drinking water distribution networks, which will detect the presence of trihalomethanes at an early stage
The TRIATHLON project will be able to improve the quality of drinking water by the detection and early prevention of trihalomethanes presence—chemical compounds formed as a result of drinking water disinfection—on the Costa del Sol, in Huelva, and in the Huesna area in Seville. To achieve this, the project, led by a consortium headed by Hidralia in collaboration with Cetaqua–Water Technology Centre, Acosol, Aguas de Huelva, Aguas de Benahavís, Aguas del Huesna, and the University of Málaga, will develop a monitoring tool based on sensors.
These advanced sensors, based on AI techniques, will detect the presence of trihalomethanes (THMs) through various physico-chemical parameters and will enable the activation of a proactive alert system for water operators.
Trihalomethanes are by-products of water disinfection formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter present in the water. Their presence is regulated by current health legislation, and their control represents a growing challenge due to the effects of climate change. In this regard, rising temperatures entail the need to reinforce disinfection throughout distribution networks.
TRIATHLON, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities in the context of the 2023 Public–Private Partnership call, aims to address this challenge. The project will develop a Decision Support System (DSS) that will integrate sensor data and artificial intelligence (machine learning) models to estimate the presence of trihalomethanes in water and predict their formation. The system will enable operators to anticipate episodes of high concentrations, activate early warnings, and implement corrective measures to ensure the safety of drinking water supply.
The project will validate the tool in three different operational environments: Costa del Sol, Huelva, and the Huesna area in Seville, each with distinct climatic conditions, water sources, and issues related to THM formation.
“Thanks to the integration of advanced sensing technologies and artificial intelligence algorithms, we will be able to anticipate the formation of trihalomethanes and make informed decisions in real time, reducing operational risks and ensuring regulatory compliance,” says Meritxell Valentí, Project Manager and researcher at Cetaqua – Water Technology Centre.
The tool developed within this project, which will conclude at the end of 2027, will not only be useful for managing the presence of trihalomethanes in the case studies, but will also be transferred to other operators.
More information at TRIATHLON’s landing page.
This publication is part of the public-private collaboration project “TRIhAlomeTHanes controL thrOugh AI-based techNologies” (TRIATHLON) CPP2023-010513, funded by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER, UE.
